The invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for manipulating rod-shaped articles, such as plain or filter cigarettes, cigars or cigarillos, filter rod sections and/or other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in methods of and in apparatus for converting a single layer of spaced-apart parallel elongated rod-shaped articles which are advanced sideways (transversely of their length) into a mass flow containing two or more superimposed layers of parallel articles. The articles of the mass flow can be arrayed in a so-called quincuncial formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,340 granted Jul. 3, 1990 to Horsley et al. for "Conveying rod-like articles" discloses an apparatus wherein a rotary conveyor delivers a series of successive rod-shaped articles sideways into the relatively narrow inlet of a channel defined by one or more upper endless belt conveyors and one or more lower endless belt conveyors. The width of the channel increases in a direction away from the rotary conveyor so that the articles in the channel can start the formation of a flow wherein some of the articles are contacted by the upper conveyor(s) and the remaining articles are contacted by the lower conveyor(s). The belt conveyors are driven at a speed such that the width of the spaces between successive articles of the single layer is reduced to zero not later than at the discharge end of the aforementioned channel. The latter discharges two superimposed layers of articles into the upper end of a divergent chute which slopes downwardly toward the receiving end of the upper reach of an endless belt conveyor serving to advance a multi-layer mass flow of articles to a filter assembling machine. The chute includes walls which contact the articles of the top layer as well as the articles of the bottom layer.
The patentees propose to accelerate successive articles which leave the rotary conveyor in order to avoid damage from following articles.
Acceleration of articles above the speed which is imparted thereto by the rotary conveyor is likely to result in damage to the articles. Furthermore, each and every article in the aforementioned channel is contacted by at least one belt, and the outer layers of articles in the divergent chute are contacted by fixed parts including a strip of semiflexible material and a so-called deadplate. All this is likely to affect the appearance and/or other desirable characteristics of the conveyed articles.